Driving in USA with only a PI license?

[CoffeeRulzMe]

Hi,

a while back, I let my USA driver's license expire (yeah, I know, not too smart I guess)  I only have a valid PI license. When I return home for a visit, can I use my philippine license to rent a car?  Can I drive in all 50 states with this license?

 

 

[JJReyes]

First. Some states permit renewing a driver's license online. This is my intent for my South Dakota license since it will be snowing when it expires. Check your state DMV website. Second. I would recommend getting an International Driver's License. It seems to more acceptable to rental companies even if technically it is not a license. You need to present it at the same time as your current license at the car rental agencies and to a police officer upon request.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, CoffeeRulzMe said:

Can I drive in all 50 states with this license?

I know people who have done it in most, if not all, of the 50 states.  I do not know if they have been stopped in all 50 states and checked by the highway patrol. 

The police in the USA do not like you to have 2 driver's licenses.  They want you to only have a license issued from wherever you reside.  So if the Philippines is your residence then that is the license you need.

The USA government website is Sooooo helpful with this .  They say:
 

Quote

Contact the motor vehicle department of each state you will drive in for its requirements.  

 

[Jack Peterson]

4 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

So if the Philippines is your residence then that is the license you need.

 Hmmm so will the International law of 90 days on an out of Country licence stand? cos if you are going to do all 50 days that is going to take a lot longer  

[Dave Hounddriver]

30 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

Hmmm

You are asking me questions that I cannot answer.  Perhaps one of the ex-US cops on this forum can tell us.  All I can tell you is  that a US cop answered this question online by saying:

 You can only have one driver's license

There is a lot more to it.  The situation comes up a lot.  Indeed a similar situation came up for me when I went back to Canada and only had a Philippine driver's license.  My answer was based on my own research and due diligence but each person is going to have to do their own research in the place they will be renting or driving because one thing this forum has taught me is that no matter what I have done, someone else has always got a different experience.  

[OnMyWay]

7 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

You are asking me questions that I cannot answer.  Perhaps one of the ex-US cops on this forum can tell us.  All I can tell you is  that a US cop answered this question online by saying:

 You can only have one driver's license

There is a lot more to it.  The situation comes up a lot.  Indeed a similar situation came up for me when I went back to Canada and only had a Philippine driver's license.  My answer was based on my own research and due diligence but each person is going to have to do their own research in the place they will be renting or driving because one thing this forum has taught me is that no matter what I have done, someone else has always got a different experience.  

That answer is about having a driver's license in more than one state, and I could understand why that would be discouraged as someone could try to dodge paying tickets, vote twice, etc., etc.

Having a PH and US license should not be an issue.  My U.S. license expired now so I only have PH, but when I lived in Germany, I had both German and California licenses.

Regarding rental cars in the U.S., all that I checked last year will accept the PH license and I drove an Avis rental for a month with my PH license.  However, you must declare your residence as PH and then your rate will be higher, because you have to pay their liability insurance.  I paid about $400 for the liability and then the comprehensive was covered by my credit card.  Credit cards don't typically cover liability.

[intrepid]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

That answer is about having a driver's license in more than one state, and I could understand why that would be discouraged as someone could try to dodge paying tickets, vote twice, etc., etc.

Yes, OMY you are correct in that the two drivers license law applies to within the US.  Nothing at all wrong with having additional license from other countries.

As far as driving on a Philippine or other foreign license in the US, most if not all states have now adopted the 90 day rule.  This allows you to drive on a foreign drivers license for 90 days after arriving in the US.  Just be aware that the law requires you to carry your passport while driving to verify your length of stay.  Now although that is the law, expecting all LEO to know this another matter.  If I remember it may have been fifteen years working before I cam across my first foreign drivers license.  At that time I did not know what to do so I issued a written warning and let him go.  Later asking several supervisors, each had a different answer.  So I had to do my own research along with asking our states prosecutor.  After that I became the one teaching these laws during our annual in service training.  My guess would be at least half the LEO across the US still do not know these laws mostly because they rarely encounter drivers with a foreign drivers license.  

Someone brought up about renting a vehicle using a foreign license.  That also should be no problem.  However, using a foreign credit card may be an issue.  Higher rates or maybe not even accepted.  You would be wise to check about that with your rental company before making you trip.  As JJ mentioned an international drivers license may help with the rental.  Just for those who don’t know, an international drivers license is basically a translation of your current drivers license into English.  Therefore, it would not be needed in any English speaking country.  Also, the international license is worthless without your current valid drivers license.  Hope all that is understandable.  It was about as clear as mud when I was first learning about it.

[Jack Peterson]

1 hour ago, intrepid said:

most if not all states have now adopted the 90 day rule.  This allows you to drive on a foreign drivers license for 90 days after arriving in the US. 

 That is my question answered Thank You 

[scott h]

10 hours ago, CoffeeRulzMe said:

When I return home for a visit, can I use my philippine license to rent a car?

Last time we were in the states, 2015 I think, I rented a car from National rental car in San Diego, no problems no questions asked. Drove my brothers car in Virginia and Washington D c. Never got pulled over so don't know what the kops would say.

[earthdome]

My US state DL expired while I was in the Philippines. My state allowed me to drive for 6 months on the PH DL. But since my US state DL had been expired for more than 6 months I had to take both the written and driving test to renew my license. The officer who gave me the driving test asked why someone my age was having to do this. Perhaps this happens for those who spend time in prison or lose their license for some reason. After I told him why he peppered me with questions about the Philippines the entire drive.